Membership in this church is not primarily a legal or administrative category — it is an expression of mutual belonging. We have chosen to unite with one another in living in response to the call of Jesus, and membership is the way we make that choice visible and accountable. What follows is an account of what that means for us, and how it works in practice.

What membership means

Membership is about two things, each of which works in both directions.
The first is belonging. In becoming a member, you are affirming your place in this community — and the congregation is affirming its commitment to you: to support, nurture, and care for you as one of our own. You are moving from being a guest of the congregation to being one of its hosts.
The second is shared responsibility. Membership carries some legal dimensions: without a formal membership, we could not exist as a legal entity capable of making decisions, holding property, or employing staff. But more than that, membership is a promise to be one of those who takes responsibility for the ongoing life, prayer, and ministry of this church — to be present not just as a recipient but as a participant in what we are building together.

Who we are as members

Rather than a set of conditions to be met, the following describes what is true of those who are, or are becoming, members of this church:

• We recognise Jesus Christ as the one who leads us into the fullness of human life in the image of God, and we are committed to seeking and following his Spirit’s lead.
• We want to share the journey of faith with this congregation, and we are committed to ongoing participation in its life.
• We are able to affirm the Church Covenant as an expression of Christ’s call to us as a community.
• We have undertaken — or are undertaking — a solid process of formation in the Christian faith and its practices.

Covenant and renewal

Our membership is expressed through the Church Covenant, which sets out the ways we believe we are called to “be church” together. The Covenant is reconsidered each year, and we recommit ourselves to it each year in our church anniversary service in mid-June. If a person does not choose to covenant with us for the new year, their membership lapses — but they are gladly welcomed back if they wish to recommit later.

Becoming a member

If the description above fits where you are, we invite you to speak with Nathan about taking the next step. A Church Meeting will vote to welcome you into membership, and you will be received during a special ceremony in a worship service. If you have been previously baptised, the ceremony involves reaffirming the commitments expressed in your baptism, and being prayed for by the church. If you have not previously been baptised, you would be invited into our formation process in preparation for baptism and membership.

Formation and baptism

We offer a formation process — drawing on the ancient tradition of the catechumenate — for all who are preparing for baptism and membership, whether adults or young people. This process of education, nurture, and spiritual accompaniment is for anyone who needs it, regardless of age. Those engaged in it are warmly included in the life and care of the congregation throughout.

Children and young people who are regular participants but not yet ready to make baptismal vows are welcomed into a junior version of this process. Infant children are enrolled through the Infant Presentation ceremony, in which they are prayed for, blessed, and welcomed into the congregation’s care. Children old enough to speak for themselves may participate in an enrolment ceremony of their own.

We do not usually baptise young people until they are mature enough to grasp what it means to commit for life — for most, this is not before their late teens or early twenties (or even much later for some of us!), though we recognise there are exceptions.

We understand baptism as a sacrament administered once. We are therefore very reluctant to re-baptise someone who has previously been baptised in another Christian tradition, though we recognise that pastoral exceptions may occasionally be warranted.

Decision making and membership

We seek to discover and submit to the mind of Christ in our decision making, trusting that the leading of the Holy Spirit is more reliably discerned together than by any individual.

Most of the time we operate by consensus, and formal eligibility to vote rarely comes into play. Everyone involved in the church at any level is welcome to attend Church Business Meetings or Host Group meetings and to take part in the discussion. Only when a divided issue requires a formal decision would votes be counted — and at that point, voting is restricted to those who are current members under the Covenant for that year.
Our preference is always to keep talking until substantial agreement is reached, rather than forcing a vote before we are ready.